James Bradberry couldn’t hide on the Seahawks’ final drive on Monday night, as the Eagles corner and former Giant got torched for 87 yards during Seattle’s game-winning march down the field, including on Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s go-ahead, 29-yard touchdown in a 20-17 victory.
Bradberry didn’t hide after the game either, admitting there was “nothing really” he could have done to stop Smith-Njigba.
“He just ran past me,” Bradberry said, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Eagles, with former Bill Belichick sidekick Matt Patricia taking over defensive play-calling from Sean Desai, were clinging to a 17-13 lead with 1:52 left when backup Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock engineered a 10-play, 92-yard drive by picking on Bradberry most of the way.
Bradberry allowed 87 of those yards, with DK Metcalf burning him for 58 yards on three catches.
“That’s part of playing the cornerback position,” Bradberry said. “Everyone is going to see you make a mistake because it’s a passing league. Especially when you have two plays like I did, really that whole drive like I did, I was the main target and they were just attacking that target. It’s kind of hard to shy away from that camera.”
Bradberry, 30, was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft and played four seasons in Carolina before signing a three-year, $45 million contract with the Giants in 2020.
He made the Pro Bowl in his first season with the Giants but was released after his second year with the team due to salary-cap concerns, eventually signing with Philadelphia.
The Eagles, who were without an injured Darius Slay on Monday, dropped to 10-4 with their third straight loss — after which quarterback Jalen Hurts questioned the team’s “commitment” — failing to capitalize after the Cowboys (10-4) got crushed by the Bills on Sunday, as the two remain tied atop the NFC East.
While the Eagles don’t look like a team ready to reach the Super Bowl again, they have a good chance to right the ship down the stretch with a pair of games against the Giants and another against the Cardinals; Philly hosts the Giants next Monday on Christmas Day.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, have to play the Dolphins on Sunday and the Lions in Week 17 before finishing the season against the Commanders.
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